


Never Forget

by EffieTrinket1619



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Patton, Brotherly Love, Deceit is an ass in this one, Handcuffs, Hurt/Comfort, Impersonation, Logan is ready to kill a bitch, Patton loves his boys, Roman is clueless but wants to help, THIS IS PG GUYS, Thomas is also clueless, Virgil Gets A Hug!, Virgil doesn't need this, Virgil needs a hug, fuck off deceit, i love my children, like hoo boi, not in the kinky way, prinxiety if you squint - Freeform, there is swearing tho, what are you gonna do about it, wow i wanna punch Deceit, yeah I lied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 11:20:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18475195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EffieTrinket1619/pseuds/EffieTrinket1619
Summary: Honestly, it took Logan an embarrassingly long time to realise something was off.There's something wrong, yet Logan can't put his finger on what.





	Never Forget

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story on AO3 so enjoy! I probably will post more with these guys bearing the brunt of the angst. Oh well. Without hurt, there isn't any comfort.

Honestly, it took Logan an embarrassingly long time to realise something was off.

 

He’d popped up in Thomas’s living room, in his usual spot next to the stairs, to discuss an idea for a project. “Hey, Logan!”

“Salutations, Thomas. How are you?” he asked.

Thomas shrugged. “Pretty good. You?”

“I am at optimal health, thank you for asking.”

He hadn’t noticed anything during the planning process, during the script writing and the final edits. Thomas was normal. Nothing out of the ordinary there. It was when they called the others, that things went wrong.

“Patton! Roman!”

“Hey kiddos!”

“Greetings, fellow knights!”

Looking around, Patton shared a Look™ with Logan. “Hey, where’s Virgil?” he asked.

Thomas shrugged nonchalantly. “Dunno.” Logan squinted at their host in slight disbelief. He certainly wasn’t acting like he did when Virgil decided to duck out. “Maybe he doesn’t wanna appear.”

“Well, do you wanna try calling him, kiddo?”

“ **No.** ” The air around them seemed to freeze. Thomas’s eyes went wide, and he clapped a hand over his mouth. He then decided to nod vigorously, hair flopping into his eyes.

“Virgil? Come on out kiddo!” Patton called, cheerfully.

Virgil appeared like he normally does, just popping into existence. “Sup,” he muttered. Logan couldn’t help but feel troubled. He had many questions for Thomas, though he was already suspecting. But it was too early, he told himself, to go digging.

“Ah, there’s our Dark and Stormy Knight!” Roman exclaimed.

“Good to see you too, Prince Charming.” Nothing wrong with Virgil. He seemed to be doing rather well. The circles under his eyes were a lighter shade, at least. Maybe Logan shouldn’t be so suspicious.

 

And yet, a mere three days later, he couldn’t help but feel that something was most certainly off.

Patton and Roman hadn’t seemed to think anything was amiss. They were happy. Virgil was finally joining them regularly for meals and participating in all activities Patton and Roman were organising, including movie nights and games nights. And Thomas was happy too. He certainly had anxiety still, to stop him from acting like a lunatic, but not as bad. Yet Logan still felt uneasy. At some of the glances Virgil threw the other sides while they weren’t looking, the confidence he seemed to have gained overnight. Logan was no expert in the field, but he was certain that behavioural swings do not just happen. Virgil always kept his bedroom locked now, which, while understandable, is highly unusual for someone who’d confessed to Logan that he kept his door unlocked so that the others would have easy access to him during one of his episodes. That point led onto the oddest thing Logan found. Virgil was having no panic attacks. Which sounds like a good thing, and it really was, but slightly disconcerting. Logan barely remembered a week where Virgil didn’t have at least one attack. It was always horrible to experience, but normal.

“Ugh. I am thinking about this too hard,” he muttered to himself.

Why wouldn’t Virgil be feeling more confident? They had been kind and accepting of him for over six months after all. And keeping his bedroom locked was probably a message to the others, telling them that he’s gotten better. And he has much less to be anxious over now as well, what with Patton looking after him.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Logan wished his brain would just turn off. Why did he have to be so doubtful when Virgil was finally opening up to them properly? Why couldn’t he just let them be happy? Snapping his book shut, Logan went in search for something else to do, mind still buzzing.

 

_Nothing but desert._

_And the lone figure, trekking through miles of sand and rock, the same, beige nothingness stretching out in all direction._

_He needs to find him. He needs to reach him, to get to him! He needs to tell him!_

_Shivering, despite the sun, his heart set, he reaches out, in all different directions. Hoping, pleading ~~oh god please someone help~~ for someone to hear him screaming. To hear his head being torn apart from the inside, to hear him crying in the dark of night for them, for their warmth and love. _

_And suddenly, he can’t move he’s being crushed ~~ **oh god please help it hurts it hurts it hurts**~~ a force around his chest immobilising him. _

_A snake, a python patterned black and yellow hisses at him, almost seeming to smile. He screams and try to escape, squirming and writhing away from it. Hissing more viciously now, it plunges fangs deep into his neck, earning a scream from him. Immediately, he can’t breathe._

~~**_No no no no no pythons don’t have venom this isn’t real this isn’t real this isn’t real this isn’t real_ ** ~~

_But he can’t do anything against the crushing force on his windpipe, and slowly it hurts please make it stop make it stop, his vision fades out._

**_Maybe next time._ **

 

Roman yawned as he walked into the kitchen in the morning. Logan and Patton were already there, setting the table up. “Are you alright Roman?” Logan asked, knowing full well that Roman only ever slept in if the dreams got really bad. “You appear…distressed.”

Roman yawned again, scrubbing at the bags under his eyes. “Jus’ a nightmare.” Logan frowned and walked over to him and handed him a cup of coffee.

“Was it yours, kiddo?” Patton asked, pouring a mug of coffee and handing it to Roman. Roman took a sip. “No. It wasn’t Thomas’s either.” He shuddered. “It was awful. I only got flashes of it too.”

“Certainly wasn’t mine, Roman,” Logan affirmed.

Patton smiled a little. “I’d tell you if I were feeling down, kiddo. I promise.” Logan searched Patton’s eyes and found only truth. So then it must’ve been…

“Has anybody seen Virgil, lately?”

 

Logan certainly did not like Virgil’s room.

It made his thoughts cloud up and become disorganised, made it difficult to think and act accordingly. However, it was decided a while ago that out of the three, Logan could take it the best, provided that he was completely calm before he went in. Besides, this is for Virgil, he thought, eyeing the black shadows seeping through the cracks and disappearing like fine mist.

Virgil’s door was unlocked, and Logan brushed off the suspicions with relief to not having to break the door down again. Stepping into the dark, he called out softly. “Virgil? Are you in here? Are you alright?” Logan frowned when there wasn’t a response. “Virgil?” he called again, a little louder this time. He moved around the room, carefully stepping over various items that were littered all over the floor. Squinting through the darkness, Logan suddenly tripped over something large, barely managing to catch himself on the bedside table. “What the-“ Logan spun around, his foot nearly catching on something else. He threw out his hands in front of him to feel his way around, until his fingers landed on something hard. Eyes wide, he felt around, and then recoiled when his hand hit something soft and squishy.

“Oh god,” he muttered. Straightening, Logan grasped the object and pulled it out of the darkness. He paid no heed at all, not even glancing down when he lifted it, surprisingly easily, onto the bed. Metal clinks from within the folds of fabric concealing it an – _oh god it was Virgil._ “What the fuck,” he said, taking in Virgil’s bedraggled appearance. Shifting Virgil a little, so that he wasn’t curled into himself, Logan’s eyes roamed over the sickly pale face, the purple bruise on his jaw, the matted, magenta hair and – dear lord what on earth – the glowing purple handcuffs on his wrists. Logan’s mind reeled. They had only just seen him yesterday. How had he deteriorated to this point overnight? “Virgil? Can you hear me?” No response, and by now, Logan wasn’t hiding the fact that he was scared. “I am going to get you out of here, alright?”

Whatever the hell happened, Logan reasoned, must’ve been the mindscape’s influence and he’ll be able to help Virgil with the others’ assistance. So if he could just get to the real world as soon as possible- He couldn’t sink out. Panic overwhelmed him as he tried again and again. The fifth time, he noticed the cuffs glowing. Adjusting his glasses (a habit he picked up from Patton), he attempted to sink out again. The cuff glowed again, bright light casting Virgil’s face in its yellow glow.

Yellow glow.

Yellow.

_Yellow._

Oh dear lord.

Gathering Virgil into his arms, he ran out the door, panicking even more, due to how light the bundle in his arms was. “PATTON! ROMAN!” he hollered, sprinting into the living room. To his relief, they appeared quickly, confused and concerned. Seeing Virgil’s limp body, however, wiped all of that off their face. Roman, initially panicking, was then taking Virgil from Logan and lying him down on the couch. He tugged at the handcuffs, hissing curses. Patton had disappeared, presumably to get the first aid kit.

“Hey Lo.” Roman’s voice shook. “Come here.” Logan approached and kneeled down in front of the couch.

“What is it, Roman?” Roman pointed to the cuffs.

“You can only get those from the subconscious. I don't know what they are called, but they drain energy. That means that Virgil couldn’t sink out either.” Logan opened his mouth, but Roman pressed on. “Logan, we can't take these off by ourselves.” Roman’s eyes met Logan’s, full of desperation.

“Wh-what?” “They can only be destroyed by the person who made them.” Logan felt himself pale. “Do you think it wa- “ Just, then, a scream sounded from the kitchen, and Patton ran in, eyes wide in fear. Roman unsheathed his sword, and, without thinking, Logan pulled out a baseball bat from thin air and held it up defensively.

“Why are you running, Pat? Did I do something wrong?” Logan’s blood froze in their veins as he watched another Virgil walk into the living room, whole and unharmed. Virgil 2 looked around at the others apprehensively.

"Sweet Cole Sprouse!” Roman whispered. Virgil 2 took a step closer, and then paused, his eyes on the Virgil unconscious on the couch and held up his hands in a placating manner. Logan’s grip on the bat only tightened.

“Guys. It’s me. Virgil,” he said softly.

“Then who is this?” Logan asked, gesturing to the figure on the couch. “And why did I discover him in your room, half dead?” Virgil 2 tried to take a step forward, but Roman swung his sword threateningly, making him think twice.

“It’s Deceit. I-I wanted to get rid of him for you.” Logan searched his eyes.

“Falsehood.”

“So you decided to lock him in your room, shackled up like a prisoner?” Roman demanded. Something that was distinctly not Virgil flashed in his eyes.

“That, I admit, was stupid of me- “

“If this were Deceit, why would you disguise them as Virgil? Your actions make no sense.”

“Look guys, I get it. I’ll just take him back to the Dark Sides, and can we move on,” he pleaded. Logan’s mind was set.

“Patton. Go tell Thomas to summon all of us.”

Virgil 2’s eyes went wide. “Wait, no!” he yelled, lunging at Patton who’d already disappeared. Logan and Roman raised their weapons a little higher. The message was clear. _Don’t try anything funny._ A second later, they felt the tug, a little more forceful than usual, and they all sunk out.

Logan blinked as he adjusted to the sudden change. He was still gripping his baseball bat tightly at his side, and Roman still had his sword out.

“What is going on?” Thomas asked, eyeing the two fearfully. Logan straightened his tie with a hand, peering around the room. No Patton to be seen, meaning that he was probably upstairs or another part of the mindscape. Good, Logan thought. He doesn’t need to see this.

“You see Thomas, we’ve encountered a rather, interesting, scenario. Virgil – oh my sweet Crofters Jam, Virgil!” Logan raised his bat at the same time Roman raised his sword as they took in the scene. The two Virgil’s were on the stairs, Virgil 2 standing, and holding Virgil 1’s unconscious body to his chest. A knife is held at his throat.

“Woah, woah! Guys, what is happening?” Thomas cried.

“You do realise that won’t kill him. He’s a Side, a facet of Thomas’s personality. A simple knife won’t damage him.”

Virgil 2 wore a sick smile and dug the knife in a little deeper. The colour drained from Princy’s face. “Oh, but have you ever regenerated before? It’s not fun.”

“How are you even here? Thomas should’ve only called out for the four of us!” Roman exclaimed.

“I did! I only called for you four!”

Virgil 2 rolled his eyes. “The chains, dumbasses. We’re connected now. Where ever he goes, I go.”

Okay. That explains it. “Get away from him, and we won’t have any trouble,” Logan said calmly. “Or we can send you back to whatever hole you crawled out of, Deceit.” Logan’s blood boiled as Deceit began to laugh.

“Well, well. I suppose you lot aren’t stupid after all.” Thomas looked terrified, and something in Logan’s chest broke for him and for Virgil.

“You can drop the disguise now.” Logan sighed. How had it taken him so long to realise? Blood began to slither down Virgil’s too-pale throat. Deceit was going to pay for this, no matter what. Deceit looked thoughtful as he considered Logan’s words.

“Nah,” he said finally. “This body’s too comfortable.”

“We all have the same body, Jekyll and Lied,” Roman snapped. Logan didn’t miss the way his fingers trembled. Not in fear, judging from the look on his face. But in pure, undiluted anger.

“Oh. I didn’t notice.”

 _One more word_ , Logan thought, _and I’ll claw his eyes out_. Logan and Roman’s eyes met from across the room, making the decision in half a second. “Thomas. I’d advise you to step away for a couple of minutes. This could get…rough.”

Thomas’s eyes were wide with fear and revulsion. “I can’t. I can’t stay safe while that,” he said, gesturing wildly to Deceit, “is holding my anxiety hostage.”

“Oh look at you, being noble,” Deceit cooed. “Totally not pathetic or anything.”

“Thomas, I swear we’ll be fine. We can’t die, remember. But if you get hurt, that’s a different story.”

“Please, continue talking.”

“Shut up, you snake!”

“Thomas, I suggest you leave so you do not have to watch me tear this man limb from limb.”

“I doubt that, Microsoft Nerd.”

“Alright jackass, only I get to call him that. Back off.”

“Time’s a ticking, Log- “

A solid thwack echoed through the room, silencing everyone. Slowly, Deceit pitched forward, releasing Virgil, who crumpled without any support. Patton stood behind him, cold fury in his eyes. “No one messes with my kiddos like that.”

 

That, Logan thought, was the day he decided to never get on Patton’s bad side. Patton wasn’t finished at knocking Deceit out, oh no. As soon as he woke up, Patton had locked the two of them in Thomas’s bedroom, and somehow managed to get Deceit to destroy the cuffs, freeing Virgil. He and Thomas then worked to lock him away for a little while, until he ‘learnt his lesson’, while an astounded Roman and Logan dealt with Virgil.

“Roman, could you pass me the disinfectant?” Logan asked, eyeing the cuts encircling Virgil’s wrists. He still hadn’t woken up, unsurprising, considering how malnourished and dehydrated he would be by now. Honestly, it was one more reason for Logan to murder Deceit the next time they crossed paths. Logan was careful in bandaging the wounds, checking that the bandages were securely fastened. Roman gently cradled Virgil’s head in his lap, running his fingers through his hair, humming softly. The lack of talking allowed Logan to really think about how close they were to losing one of their own. Had he not gone into Virgil’s room this morning…Logan shuddered at the thought. They might’ve never found him.

Patton and Thomas returned an hour later, the latter still slightly dumbstruck. Patton immediately rushed to Virgil’s side, taking one of his hands in his own and whispering to him soothingly. Thomas sat down on the couch, observing the scene, eyes hard. No doubt he was scared and angry.

 

It was hours later, when Virgil woke up.

First, a twitch and a shudder, which set them all on edge.

Then, his breathing quickened, until he was gasping for air.

A moment later, he sat bolt upright, wide awake. Screaming.

He took one look at Thomas and the other Sides’ and scrambled away, whimpering. Patton was the first to react, stepping closer almost instinctively. “Virgil?” Virgil’s eyes widened in fear and he flinched back, holding his head protectively. Patton froze in his tracks, his expression sorrowful. Logan placed a placating hand on Patton’s shoulder, motioning him to step back.

He crouched down to Virgil’s level, looking directly at him while he spoke. “Hello Virgil,” he began in the most calming voice he could muster through his rage and sadness. “I wouldn’t be wrong to think all of this to be overwhelming at this current moment, would I? I do not have any idea on what you’ve been through, but I would be correct to assume that you are afraid, am I not? This may sound very strange, but I need you to stay calm, Virgil. Do you remember your breathing exercises?” Logan asked, noting the uneven rise and fall of Virgil’s back. Virgil gave him a weak nod. “Good. In for four seconds. Hold for seven seconds. Our for eight seconds. Good, you are doing exceptionally well.” Minutes passed, where the only sounds were Logan’s voice and Virgil’s erratic breathing. Finally, he heaved a sigh and looked up. “Virgil? Can you tell us what’s wrong?” Logan ventured. Logan was suddenly struck by how small Virgil was. Sure, they were all Thomas, but there was something about him that made him shorter and thinner than the others. And now, enveloped in that hoodie, he looked so  _vulnerable._

“How-how d-do I know this isn’t another tr-trick?” he whispered hoarsely.

Silence slipped into the room, quiet enough to hear each other’s breathing. “Oh kiddo…” Patton whispered, sounding heartbroken. Virgil’s lip wobbled a little, but he refused to look at any of them in the eye.

Logan was at a loss for what to do at that point. He never was good with these situations, but even then, he needed to try his best. For Virgil’s sake. But before he could say or do anything, Roman shuffled forward.

“Greetings, Charlie Frown!” he began. Logan opened his mouth to discourage Roman, but Patton stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a tiny smile. “I know we haven’t always been on…the very best of terms. But, despite all of that, I hope you know that I’m sorry,” and here, Logan heard Roman’s voice crack, “for not realising that something was wrong earlier.” Something flickered in Virgil’s eyes, and his shoulders relaxed, just a little. But he still looked terrified. Roman took a slow, deliberate step forward, holding his hands up where Virgil could see them. “Would you like me to prove it’s me?” he asked gently. Virgil gave him an almost imperceptible nod. Roman smiled warmly and began to talk. “Do you remember that one time you came into my room because you couldn’t sleep. You never elaborated why, but frankly, you looked like crap.”

“Roman!” Patton hissed, crossing his arms.

“Sorry, sorry. Anyway, as I was saying, you’d come in and you refused to tell me what happened. But you asked me if you could stay with me for a little bit. And then I had the brilliant idea of setting up a pillow fort. Thanks to our joint efforts, it ended up being rather magnificent, did it not?” Virgil’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears, but Roman ploughed on. “I remember you wondering where on earth the pillows and blankets came from. You had seemed to have forgotten that you were literally in the room of the Side that can conjure dogs in the real world. And you told me that you couldn’t sleep yet. So I put on Pixar movies in an attempt to make you feel better.”

Virgil wiped at his tears with his sleeve. “You cried during ‘Coco’,” he whispered brokenly.

Patton’s whole face lit up with a grin, and Logan let out a relieved little huff. Roman pretended to take offence to that statement, though Logan could see the excited spark in his eyes. “Did not!” His face softened, and his voice quietened. “I remember you told me what had happened. I’m sorry. I am so sorry Virgil, that you felt that way. I’m sorry you didn’t think you could come to us. I’m sorry for every time I made you feel unwelcome and unloved. You deserve more than what you got.”

Virgil’s hand shook slightly as he reached out. The hair obscuring his eyes didn’t mask the distress and painful recognition shining in his eyes. “Roman. R-real.” The tears spilt over his cheeks, dripping from his face. “You’re h-here.” A tiny laugh bubbled from his throat, choked and small.

Roman took Virgil’s hand and held fast. “I want you to never forget that you are part of our famILY. You will never be isolated again, Virgil. We want you around. What would I do without my Dark and Stormy Knight?” Taking deep, shuddering breaths, Virgil launched himself at Roman, finally dissolving into sobs into Princey’s shoulder. Roman said nothing, choosing instead to wrap his arms firmly around his younger brother. Patton joined in the hug without any hesitation, followed shortly by Logan and Thomas.

His family held him together while he fell apart.

 

Patton smiled as Virgil burrowed into his side a little more. He drew him closer, relishing in the warmth and security.

He was surrounded by the others, in a tight-knit circle. It was a signal to Virgil, Patton realised with a grin. Telling him without words that no one would ever get to him.

Steven Universe was on the TV and Thomas had ordered pizza, though Logan had initially resisted. He’d sighed in resignation after being faced with four pairs of hopeful eyes and simply handed Thomas the phone, a tiny smile on his lips.

Patton tried not to let his thoughts wander. The events of today have changed things, certainly. They’d all have to be more careful, especially Virgil. Who knows what would’ve happened if…if Virgil hadn’t been found. He surveyed everyone else, deceptively happy.

None of them would have forgiven themselves.

Patton would need to strengthen the defences in the mindscape. He’d need to keep tabs on the Dark Sides, no matter how much he’d hate it. But he’d do it for his family. Patton idly carded his fingers through Virgil’s hair. He wouldn’t think about it now. Maybe later.

Yes. Later is a better time for such thoughts.


End file.
